Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-04-14
POOR CORN CROPS.
Various Causes Which Combine to Redue
the Yield of the Cereal in the West.

| slowed on the crop. The average yield
| per acre is about thirty-three bushels,
| or one-third the amount that it is pos
sible to produce. For series of years
Maine has stood first in producing large
crops of corn. according to the report
of the National Department of Agricult-
ure. The climate of the State is cold,
the growing season very short, and the
soil, which was never rich, is impover-
ished by continual groupings. The
| large yield of corn there shows what
can be accomplished by good tillage.
If corn was planted and cultivated in
| Maine as it is on most farms in Illinois
and Iowa the average yield would
difficulty of raising corn there causes
farmers to make every exertion to
secure large crop. Like care on the
| part of farmers in the prairie region of
the West would make the average yield
! of corn at least eighty bushels per acre.
! When we consider the richness of our
soil and its freedom from stumps and
/ stones, our small corn crops reflect on
| the way corn-fields are managed No
/ ltl liCI III "IldU dtc IllC gTcaU
corn-growing States should be satisfied
with a smaller yield than fifty bushels
per acre, and his constant aim should
be seventy-five bushels.
| A variety of causes combine to reduce
| the yield of corn in the Western States
| far below what it should be. There is
! too much machine work and too little
! hand work, or, as is commonly the
case, no hand work of any kind. A
sulky plow is used to prepare the land,
machine is employed for dropping the
| seed and for covering it, and riding
cultivator performs all the work once
done by the hoe in the hands of an in
| telligent workman. That machines are a
| great aid in doing field work is not to
| be questioned, but it is certain that
they should not entirely supersede hard
labor. Not only every hill of corn in
| field, but every stalk should come I'M
| der the observation of the cutvator
more than once during the growing
season. 1t is very hard to find any
thing approaching a perfect row of
| corn on even a well-managed Western
farm. Some hills will contain more
stalks than can grow and produce good
corn, while others will not contain the
requisite number. Quite likely there
will be hills in which there are no
stalks for the reason that the seed did
not terminate, or was eaten by birds
or squirrels. Sometimes the seed
sprouted, but the young stalks came in
contact with stones or pieces of turf
and their growth was stopped. No
ing corn in ''mssing hills" for thin
ming stalks. or for removing things
that obstruct the growth of young and
tender stalks.
Sufficient care is not taken in obtain
ing suitable varieties to plant or in pro-
curing that which is reliable. Many
who plant the seed they raise are at no
pains to cure it properly. They select
ears from the crib at planting time
and never test the vitality of the grains.
Quite likely the cobs and kernels were
full of moisture when they were thrown
into the crib. If this was the case the
chances are that the water froze before
the corn become dry and destroyed the
germs. The surface of the ears looked
well, but there was no vitality in
many of the grains. The losses result
ing from planting varieties of corn
not suited to the locality, or seed not
mature or properly cured are very
large every year. Every corn-raiser
should endeavor to obtain the variety
best suited to the climate and soil where
he lives, andhe then should endeavor to
improve it by judicious selection of
ears and kernels. Ears intended for
seed should be selected while the stalks
are still standing in the field. They
should not remain exposed to the rain
and frost till the snow flies. They
should be traced up, hung in the sun
under an open shed, or placed in a
warm, airy chamber, where they will
be kept dry and out of the way of ver-
min. A hop curing house or a cham
Der used for seasoning lumber is good
place for drying seed corn.
Many Western farmers entertain the
idea that several successive crops of
corn can be raised without decreasing
the fertility of prairie soil, and they
are only convinced of their error when
their fields fail to make a fair return
for the labor that is expended on them.
Corn ranks among the grass-feeders,
and its supply of food should not be
stinted. Land devoted to corn should
receive some plant food every year.
If there is not sufficient sta
BILE and barn-yard manure for
the purpose, clover and other grain
crops should be raised and turned I'M
der. Cornstalks, if cut and buried by
the pillow, will aid in keeping up the
fertility of the soil. 1t is as easy 20
cut up field of corn that yields seven
ty bushels per acre as one that yields
but thirty bushels, and the labor of
husking is scarcely greater, as the ears
are larger. The larger the crop of
corn the better is its quality. When
the yield is small many of the ears
will be classed as 'nubbins.' They
will be likely to mold if put in a crib
or bin. 1t will be difficult to remove
the grain from them, and still more
difficult to obtain a market for it. A
fine field of corn is a source of delight
as well as of profit. It is an ornament
to the farm and credit to the owner.
Chicago Times.
SENTENTIOUS SAYINGS.
Oceans of Wisdom Condensed Into Brill